Occupant monitoring device for vehicle

Abstract

An occupant monitoring device for a vehicle in which an occupant sits on a seat provided in an occupant compartment includes an imaging device and a plurality of light projectors. The imaging device is configured to capture an image of a plurality of occupants sitting side-by-side in a vehicle width direction. The plurality of light projectors are provided in correspondence with a plurality of seat positions of the seat and are configured to project light toward the seated occupants.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An occupant monitoring device for a vehicle in which an occupant sits on a seat provided in an occupant compartment, the occupant monitoring device comprising:
 an imaging device configured to capture an image of a plurality of occupants including a driver and a passenger that sit side-by-side in a vehicle width direction; and 
 a plurality of light projectors provided in correspondence with a plurality of seat positions of the seat and configured to project light toward the seated plurality of occupants, wherein
 the plurality of light projectors includes a driver light projector and a passenger light projector, 
 the driver light projector is configured to project light on a position corresponding to the driver of the vehicle, 
 the passenger light projector is configured to project light on a position corresponding to the passenger of the vehicle, 
 the imaging device is between the driver light projector and the passenger light projector in the vehicle width direction, and 
 the imaging device is adjacent to the driver light projector and the passenger light projector. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the imaging device is disposed in a central region in the vehicle width direction in the occupant compartment and is configured to capture a single image of the plurality of occupants sitting side-by-side in the vehicle width direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of light projectors is configured to project light toward at least heads of the plurality of occupants. 
 
     
     
       4. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the plurality of light projectors is configured to project light toward at least heads of the plurality of occupants. 
 
     
     
       5. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the seat provided in the occupant compartment comprises a driver seat and a passenger seat disposed side-by-side in the vehicle width direction, and 
 wherein the imaging device is provided in a central region of a dashboard provided in the occupant compartment and is configured to acquire a single image of the driver and the passenger sitting side-by-side in the vehicle width direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the seat provided in the occupant compartment comprises a driver seat and a passenger seat disposed side-by-side in the vehicle width direction, and 
 wherein the imaging device is provided in a central region of a dashboard provided in the occupant compartment and is configured to acquire a single image of the driver and the passenger sitting side-by-side in the vehicle width direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the driver light projector is configured to project light on the position corresponding to the driver, and not to project light on the position corresponding to the passenger, 
 wherein the passenger light projector is configured to project light on the position corresponding to the passenger, and not to project light on the position corresponding to the driver, 
 wherein the driver light projector is at a passenger side with respect to the imaging device, and 
 wherein the passenger light projector is at a driver side with respect to the imaging device. 
 
     
     
       8. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the driver light projector is provided in a dashboard that is provided in the occupant compartment, and 
 wherein the passenger light projector is provided in the dashboard. 
 
     
     
       9. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the driver light projector and the passenger light projector are provided together in an upper central region of a dashboard that is provided in the occupant compartment. 
 
     
     
       10. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the driver light projector, the passenger light projector, and the imaging device are provided in a vicinity of either one of a display device and an operable device provided in a dashboard that is provided in the occupant compartment. 
 
     
     
       11. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the driver light projector, the passenger light projector, and the imaging device are provided in a vicinity of either one of a display device and an operable device provided in a dashboard that is provided in the occupant compartment. 
 
     
     
       12. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an air conditioning duct is provided below the driver light projector, the passenger light projector, and the imaging device. 
 
     
     
       13. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein an air conditioning duct is provided below the driver light projector, the passenger light projector, and the imaging device. 
 
     
     
       14. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control unit configured to execute control for an occupant monitoring process based on the image captured by the imaging device, 
 wherein the control unit is configured to execute monitoring control with respect to the plurality of occupants sitting side-by-side in the vehicle width direction based on a single image captured by the imaging device. 
 
     
     
       15. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a control unit configured to execute control for an occupant monitoring process based on the image captured by the imaging device, 
 wherein the control unit is configured to execute monitoring control with respect to the plurality of occupants sitting side-by-side in the vehicle width direction based on the single image captured by the imaging device. 
 
     
     
       16. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the control unit identifies each occupant of the plurality of occupants based on a facial image facing toward the imaging device and a facial image facing forward of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       17. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 circuitry configured to execute control for an occupant monitoring process based on the image captured by the imaging device, 
 wherein the circuitry is configured to execute monitoring control with respect to the plurality of occupants sitting side-by-side in the vehicle width direction based on a single image captured by the imaging device. 
 
     
     
       18. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the driver light projector and the passenger light projector are configured such that, in a view from above in the vehicle, when the driver light projector and the passenger light projector project light, a light projection range of the driver light projector intersects with a light projection range of the passenger light projector in a region between the driver light projector and the driver of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       19. An occupant monitoring device for a vehicle in which an occupant sits on a seat provided in an occupant compartment, the occupant monitoring device comprising:
 an imaging device configured to capture an image of a plurality of occupants including a driver and a passenger that sit side-by-side in a vehicle width direction; and 
 a plurality of light projectors provided in correspondence with a plurality of seat positions of the seat and configured to project light toward the seated plurality of occupants, wherein
 the plurality of light projectors includes a driver light projector and a passenger light projector, 
 the driver light projector is configured to project light on a position corresponding to the driver of the vehicle, 
 the passenger light projector is configured to project light on a position corresponding to the passenger of the vehicle, 
 the imaging device is between the driver light projector and the passenger light projector in the vehicle width direction, and 
 the driver light projector and the passenger light projector are configured such that, in a view from above in the vehicle, when the driver light projector and the passenger light projector project light, a light projection range of the driver light projector intersects with a light projection range of the passenger light projector in a region between the driver light projector and the driver of the vehicle. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The occupant monitoring device according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the driver light projector is configured to project light on the position corresponding to the driver, and not to project light on the position corresponding to the passenger, and 
 wherein the passenger light projector is configured to project light on the position corresponding to the passenger, and not to project light on the position corresponding to the driver.